What I've Read This Week

This week I've read a few comics and figured I'd share my brief thoughts.

Avatar Press's release of Rawbone #1 by Jamie Delano and art by Max Fiumara looked cool. I like pirates, pirate tales are fun, even a little violent. Good stuff, right? Well part of the writing felt awkward, there were places where we moved ahead or back in time that were not very clear as to what was going on. But otherwise it seemed like it could be good. Until the virgin was rapped by an ape, an ape dressed like a pirate no less. That's when I decided I wasn't a huge fan of this particular pirate tale.

For those of you who, like myself, are fans of the old X-Files show, before it got all psychological instead of paranormal, you might also like this comic book. Fans of fun UFO stories and Ben Templesmith fans will also like it. Templesmith is the artist for Groom Lake #1, written by Chris Ryall. It's Area 51 like you've not seen it before, including talking, cigarette smoking aliens working for the government.


I am happy to say that ever since Marvel got Larry Stroman off of the art for X-Factor the book has gotten very good. It's like Peter David either didn't want to waste a good story by pairing it with horrible art, or he felt that he needed to make it up to readers by offering great stuff once Stroman left. The last few issues have been very good, each having a twist and a great cliff hanger. That's one thing I love about comics, to me it's what makes them good. If I can't wait to read the next issue the writer has done his or her job. X-Factor #41 was a great issue and I can't wait to read the next one.



Bendis is the golden boy writer of Marvel comics, and has been for years now. And who can blame readers? His stories, while sometimes wordy, are well written and usually well crafted. This week Dark Avengers #3, written by Brian Michael Bendis featuring the art of Mike Deodato, arrived in the comic book store. I liked this fairly well. It's an interesting concept--bad guys fighting even worse guys, or girls in the case of this story arc. This is another "who can you trust" idea, and so far I've enjoyed it. We'll see if it gets dull or wierd as the story goes forward, as sometimes happens with these Avenger titles.


That's all I've read so far for comic books. Probably all I will pick up this week, as not much else is catching my eye.